Saturday, January 18, 2014

Call Me Mrs. Mom

The older I grow, the more I distrust the familiar doctrine that age brings wisdom.”
― H.L. Mencken

I am officially the old lady with the years of experience under her belt.  In my new office, I think I am actually a couple years older than the owners.  (I don't know for SURE how old they are, but I know that they are around my age...but probably a couple three or four years younger.)  The other employees in the office include 1) a young woman who is completing her last two classes in college and 2) a 23-year-old young man who is our web/developer/designer.

He calls me "Mrs. Mom." 

Seriously.

Maybe it's because I tell him that he should get more rest.  Maybe it's because I use his full name instead of his shortened nickname as is my habit.  Maybe it's because I am actually old enough to BE his mom.  Maybe I remind him of his mom because I'm still trying to figure out the ins and outs of Macbooks.  Whatever it is, I understand that it means I have moved into a whole new checkbox of life.

I will be 43 next Sunday.  I do realize that this puts me on the "back nine" of life.  God willing, I have a similar number of years LEFT as I have already lived.  Don't get me wrong:  I am not afraid of aging.  I fully embrace it and look forward to what the coming years will bring.  Well, I look forward to the GOOD stuff the coming years will bring.   But it just feels WEIRD to me to be this age when I still crank up the stereo and basically dance my way through life. 

So let's review some myths we have about people  (or you can just substitute "Kelly" for the word "people") as they get older:

  1. They're wise.  OK, if you've ever read this blog EVER you know that I am figuring stuff out just the same way these young twentysomethings are.  And my brain hurts from the effort.  Even if I am wiser, I am almost certainly DUMBER than I was 20 years ago.  Maybe that's the exchange.  People realize that they're losing brain cells at an accelerated pace so they just start spouting off platitudes in the hopes it will make them appear wise which is then equated to intelligence.  I am not wise.  I am exhausted from the effort of remembering the names of my children.
  2. They're cultured.  I do not sitting around discussing politics or world events.  As a matter of fact, I am far less informed NOW than I was in my younger days because I simply refuse to participate in the "news" of the world. I prefer the old Def Leppard music to opera.  I read a LOT but, quite honestly, it's not like I'm reading Dickens.  I much prefer picking up a Jennifer Weiner book or the blogs of Jenny Lawson over anything of real substance.  I want to LAUGH and I do so often.  And loudly.  Cultured people don't laugh.  And they certainly don't giggle.  They probably aren't huge fans of the corny joke.  And I go to McDonald's for a cheeseburger on occasion.  Believe me when I tell you that there are CERTAINLY no cultured people at McDonald's.  
  3. They always eat their vegetables.  I WILL admit that I do now enjoy vegetables.  Immensely.  Especially when they're fresh from my garden.  But (and this sounds terrible) there are days when I go an ENTIRE DAY without eating a single fresh vegetable.  Mostly because I'm a fan of carbs.  And sugar.  (I KNOW...it's not very grown-up of me.)  And it's why I consistently hover about 20-30 pounds heavier than I should be.  I like Cheerios in the morning, chicken sandwiches for lunch and pasta for dinner.  Sprinkled in with some M&Ms and coffee.  And wine.  Granted, I don't do that EVERY DAY.  But there ARE at least one or two days a week when it happens.  I admit it. 
So, yeah.  I'm getting older.  But I hope these kids I'm working with aren't looking to me for anything other than project direction.  I'm flailing around just like I did when I was 23.  With kids.  (Not 23 when I HAD the kids...but still flailing around with kids.) Yeah, please go ahead and feel sorry for Things 1 and 2.  'Cause they're the victims here.  Maybe I should try harder to be a Real Grown-Up.  Or just settle into the role of Mrs. Mom.

I think I'll just roll with it.  Whatever "it" is that comes my way.

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2 comments:

  1. I prefer the old Def Leppard music to opera too. I will join you on the "back nine" of life in March...hoping, like you, to have a similar number of years left. I am not afraid of aging because of my husband and the awesome friends who are on the journey with me. I should exercise more, but feel pretty good... thankful for all that I've learned and experienced. I hope I never stop learning!

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  2. The turn to the back nine is 50. Enjoy each and every of the 2562 days until then with a young heart and mind. And then some.

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